'Army is not just a career, it's a calling': Chief Infantry Officer credits parents for shaping his journey, Singapore News
For Colonel Fairoz Bin Hassan, joining the Army was initially a practical decision — a means to fund his education, as his parents couldn't afford the costs.
But what began as a necessity gradually transformed into a passion and, ultimately, a calling.
Col Fairoz was among 1,282 Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces personnel promoted over the last two days, and is the second from the Malay community to be promoted to Brigadier General.
The promotion will be effective July 1.
Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday (June 27), the 46-year-old Chief Infantry Officer recounted a pivotal moment that reshaped his perspective — his deployment to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in 2005, soon after the 2004 tsunami, in support of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
"My job was a UN liaison officer, and I was tasked with coordinating all the HADR relief efforts, linking up with what the public needed," he said.
"It was a sobering moment because you see how disaster affects not just the country, but the entire community. The spirit and strength of the people were really amazing.
"That's when I realised that being in the military was not just about training for the defence of the country — it's about doing the things that really matter."
An introvert, Col Fairoz admitted that one of his biggest challenges was engaging with others and communicating with large groups.
But he went out of his comfort zone, gradually building the confidence to connect and collaborate with others more effectively.
He credits this personal growth as a key strength that enabled him to coordinate efforts — such as working with various government agencies — to ensure smooth operations during the SG50 National Day Parade.
"At the end of the day, people solve problems. So, you must be able to work with people," he said.
Having served in the Army for over two decades, he has also talked about its evolving training methods, moving away from a purely infantry-centric focus to making training more purposeful and forward-looking.
He also highlighted the integration of new operational capabilities, such as drone training in Basic Military Training Centre — allowing recruits to operate drones as part of their training.
"It's about keeping everything up to standard and making sure that we're always ready to train our people," he said. 'Pay for my studies'
His journey didn't begin with a passion for service — but out of necessity.
"I joined the Army so that it could help pay for my studies because I didn't come from a well-to-do family," he said.
"I must say that I stayed because I found purpose in what I do. As they say, the Army is not just a career, it's a calling."
When asked what motivated him during his difficult times, he credited his parents as being his pillars of strength.
"The most influential people to me are my parents. I have the perfect parents, and they are very supportive of me," he said.
"Most importantly, they allowed me to be who I am and who I want to be, and I try to be like them when I deal with others in the military."
[[nid:703036]]
xingying.koh@asiaone.com
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AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
'Army is not just a career, it's a calling': Chief Infantry Officer credits parents for shaping his journey, Singapore News
For Colonel Fairoz Bin Hassan, joining the Army was initially a practical decision — a means to fund his education, as his parents couldn't afford the costs. But what began as a necessity gradually transformed into a passion and, ultimately, a calling. Col Fairoz was among 1,282 Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces personnel promoted over the last two days, and is the second from the Malay community to be promoted to Brigadier General. The promotion will be effective July 1. Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday (June 27), the 46-year-old Chief Infantry Officer recounted a pivotal moment that reshaped his perspective — his deployment to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, in 2005, soon after the 2004 tsunami, in support of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. "My job was a UN liaison officer, and I was tasked with coordinating all the HADR relief efforts, linking up with what the public needed," he said. "It was a sobering moment because you see how disaster affects not just the country, but the entire community. The spirit and strength of the people were really amazing. "That's when I realised that being in the military was not just about training for the defence of the country — it's about doing the things that really matter." An introvert, Col Fairoz admitted that one of his biggest challenges was engaging with others and communicating with large groups. But he went out of his comfort zone, gradually building the confidence to connect and collaborate with others more effectively. He credits this personal growth as a key strength that enabled him to coordinate efforts — such as working with various government agencies — to ensure smooth operations during the SG50 National Day Parade. "At the end of the day, people solve problems. So, you must be able to work with people," he said. Having served in the Army for over two decades, he has also talked about its evolving training methods, moving away from a purely infantry-centric focus to making training more purposeful and forward-looking. He also highlighted the integration of new operational capabilities, such as drone training in Basic Military Training Centre — allowing recruits to operate drones as part of their training. "It's about keeping everything up to standard and making sure that we're always ready to train our people," he said. 'Pay for my studies' His journey didn't begin with a passion for service — but out of necessity. "I joined the Army so that it could help pay for my studies because I didn't come from a well-to-do family," he said. "I must say that I stayed because I found purpose in what I do. As they say, the Army is not just a career, it's a calling." When asked what motivated him during his difficult times, he credited his parents as being his pillars of strength. "The most influential people to me are my parents. I have the perfect parents, and they are very supportive of me," he said. "Most importantly, they allowed me to be who I am and who I want to be, and I try to be like them when I deal with others in the military." [[nid:703036]]
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Straits Times
‘I lived on Pulau Samulun, now Jurong Shipyard': Musician remembers life before reclamation
SINGAPORE - Jurong Island, home to energy and chemicals firms with their glittering network of complexes, is not always remembered as such. For musician Mohd Nazir Dolah, it is a lost cluster of islands where the 74-year-old was raised in harmony with a sea teeming with life. Much of his childhood was spent diving in the azure waters off Pulau Samulun and Pulau Merimau, where he lived, with goggles fashioned from wood and rubber bands by his father, and sailing around on a small boat known as the kolek. Pulau Samulun was turned into Jurong Shipyard, while Pulau Merimau is one of 14 islands reclaimed by the government for its vision of a regional chemical hub. With the sea in his backyard, Mr Nazir said in Malay: 'Since I was six, I was eager to swim in the sea whenever I had the chance.' As Singapore's offshore islands were developed by the Government, Mr Nazir was among scores of villagers who were re-located to the mainland. On June 14, they gathered at a festival, named Hari Orang Pulau (Islander Day), at West Coast Park to celebrate their heritage and history through workshops, performances and talks. At the day-long event by ground-up initiative Orang Laut SG, researchers urged attendees who once lived on the islands to record their stories, noting the dwindling community harbouring these memories. The sea was more than a playground for the islanders, recounted Mr Nazir . It was a cornucopia of fish, crabs and shrimp that his family depended on for a living. 'I loved to eat raw prawns when they fall off the net. My father didn't get mad at me,' he said with a smile. 'They were very sweet, very tasty.' The clear waters off the reclaimed island of Pulau Samulun were particularly plentiful with catch, he added. 'My mother would say, 'We're not rich, but we're happy'.' By the time he turned 13, the village chief told the villagers that the Government wanted to take the island, offering each family a house and a few thousand dollars in compensation, he said. There was even an offer from Malaysia to move to Pahang, where they would get a plot of land to grown palms. Some islanders contacted a lawyer as they felt the money was insufficient, while others simply did not want to move. But his family followed the village chief's instructions, and moved to Pulau Merlimau, where his father worked for JTC as a surveyor. It was there that Mr Nazir started to pursue his dream of appearing on radio and television with his family band that specialised in ghazal, a genre of traditional Malay music. The band was so popular that they would travel by boat to Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sudong and other islands in the south to perform for weddings and competitions. But life on Pulau Merlimau came to a swift end. At the age of 20, Mr Nazir and his family moved to the mainland when Pulau Merlimau was reclaimed for the creation of Jurong Island. When asked how he felt now that the islands of his youth were gone, he said: 'It's just memories now.' After moving to the mainland Singapore, Mr Nazir would tell others that he is from Jurong Shipyard, because hailing from the islands was seen as a source of shame. The leader of the family band Orkes Melayu Mutiara said: 'It was sad that people looked down on us for being island people, but we couldn't run away from that reality.' His mindset changed only recently, through a movement by descendants of islanders, like Orang Laut SG founder Firdaus Sani, and his daughter Irma Yanti, who view their roots as a badge of pride. Said Ms Irma, 43, a vocalist for the band: 'For me, even though I have never been (on the island) before, I feel that we have this sense of history because of my father.' On June 14, Mr Nasir, his daughter and the rest of the band would help revive another tradition from the islands here by leading the Joget Dangkung. The communal dance was once a staple at weddings in Singapore's Southern Islands and continues to be practiced in Indonesia's Riau archipelago. These days, when asked where he is from, Mr Nazir has a different answer: 'I lived on Pulau Samulun, now Jurong Shipyard.' He told ST: 'Now I am proud. 'Now we have a day for island people, so everyone knows where we come from.' Additional reporting by Hadyu Rahim and Amirul Karim Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
09-06-2025
- Straits Times
Forum: Be mindful of others in terms of language use
Forum: Be mindful of others in terms of language use I agree with ST correspondent Elisha Tushara ('Can you say that in English?' Why a common tongue matters, June 7). Whether in public or private settings, the language spoken is likely to be one that the majority in their midst are comfortable with, be it Mandarin, Malay or Tamil. This being so, those who form the majority during gatherings or meetings should be mindful of the others who may feel isolated owing to their inability to understand the language used. While it is acceptable to use any of the three main languages where the majority participants are comfortable and familiar with, we can also include English, our lingua franca, to ensure better understanding and inclusiveness. Whatever it is, sensitivity in our multiracial and multicultural society is apparent. I recall how a Chinese businessman invited his 12 employees for dinner at a Muslim restaurant, instead of a Chinese one. Although there was only one Malay among them, the Chinese employees did not mind having Muslim food because they wanted to ensure that he would not be left out. This anecdote is a good example of an inclusive and accommodating society, and it augurs well for our future. Jeffrey Law Lee Beng More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
